Rice Balls

Great Grandma Viv was all sorts of funny. Some of the things that she did or that she said were just the funniest. She was the sweetest lady though. One of the sweetest in the whole world. I was telling Brent all about Grandma Viv the other day and we were both laughing so hard! I thought I would write a few of my very favorite memories.
-Grandma Viv had the funniest sneeze. I don't even know how to describe it. It wasn't a real sneeze. It was more like a little puff of air that would come out.
-Grandma Viv had the most amazing hair. It was never grey. It was always this red-ish color of brown. And it was so spongy. Everytime any of us every saw Grandma, we would pat her hair. It would go down to her head and then it would just sponge right back up to its original spot. She used so much hairspray, it was incredible.
-Grandma only drank royal milk and she would only have a glass of water if it had 3 ice cubes in it. Royal milk is 2% and we always had skim milk at home. So, whenever Grandma came, it was time to buy the royal milk. As for the ice cubes, she would always ask for a small glass of water and then right after, guaranteed, she would ask for 3 ice cubes. 2 was just not enough and 4 was just too many. Oh yes! And grandma loved her toast black. If toast was like anyone else ate it, she said it was just warm bread. So, I always had to put the bread down like 3 times before it was dark enough for her.
-Grandma Viv was a great cook. Her cupcakes were to die for. She would always have some treats in the freezer that was in the garage. And we always had to go through the garage to get to the house, so we could see what kind of treats we would be able to have before we even saw her. Cookies, cupcakes, rice balls....everything was so yummy.
-There was this gumball machine that was always on the counter at her house that always had gumballs in it. There was also this little can full of pennies so you didn't even have to use your own money to get a gumball. Also, a little tiny picture of Chris was taped to the penny can. I'm not sure why....but it was there. For as long as I can remember.
-One summer, I stayed in Raymond to watch Erynn's kids while she was having Chemo and whatnot. And I stayed at Grandma Viv's house everynight. Well, when I would get home from Erynn's in the evening, we would sit down and watch some TV together. I would just be getting into the show, when there would be a commercial. Well, Grandma didn't like to listen to the commericals so she would put the TV on mute. And she would just watch the tv. And, when the show came back on...she wouldn't turn the sound back on. She would just keep watching the show in mute. When I would ask her if she was going to turn the sound back on, she would say that she didn't want to hear it. So, she wouldn't. It was funny sometimes, but other times when I would miss the climax of the show, it was kind of annoying...haha.
-One last memory before I get to the point of this trip down memory lane....In the garage there was this feezer, that has been previously mentioned. Well, by the freezer, there was this big white cloth that was on the ground. It was always so clean and it was always in the exact same spot. Well, I was convinced, I am still convinced that that white cloth was covering a hole that trapped children. I never, ever stepped even a single foot on that white cloth. And, guess what? I am still alive. She never trapped me. I don't know why in the world I thought it was a trap, but I did. I do. It's kind of weird...

SO...the point to this longer-than-I-had-planned post is that I went to this Canadian store awhile ago so I could get some Macintosh Toffee that grandma used to make her rice balls. I was determined to make some because they are so, so easy. Like 4 ingredients easy! And they are so delightful. I made some and I am pleased to say that they turned out pretty well. They aren't as lovely as grandma's were and they probably didn't turn out quite as yummy, but it was my first try so I think I should have an excuse. Here are a couple of pictures...see, I have some work to do on making them prettier. But, thats okay.....I think she will forgive my first attempt.